Senior linebacker Danny Trevathan hugged his father, Vincent, after the Kentucky-Tennessee game. Trevathan was selected as a first-team All-SEC linebacker after leading the conference in tackles. Ken Weaver

Senior linebacker Danny Trevathan hugged his father, Vincent, after the Kentucky-Tennessee game. Trevathan was selected as a first-team All-SEC linebacker after leading the conference in tackles. Ken Weaver

Richardson, Mathieu earn SEC honors; Kentucky's Trevathan first team

ATLANTA — Louisiana State and Alabama are the nation's highest-ranked teams.

Only appropriate they would have the two best players in the Southeastern Conference.

Alabama running back Trent Richardson was a unanimous choice for offensive player of the year, and LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu took the honor as top defensive player on The Associated Press All-SEC team released Monday.

Later in the day, both were named Heisman Trophy finalists.

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LSU's Les Miles was tabbed as coach of the year after he guided the top-ranked Tigers (13-0) to the conference championship and a spot in the national title game against No. 2 Alabama, their division rival.

Georgia running back Isaiah Crowell was named freshman of the year despite injuries and disciplinary problems.

Three University of Kentucky football players, senior Danny Trevathan, senior Winston Guy, and junior Larry Warford, were also named All-Southeastern Conference performers on Monday.

Trevathan led the way as a first-team All-SEC linebacker, and Warford was named second-team offensive lineman. Guy made it as a second-team safety.

Trevathan, a native of Leesburg, Fla., led the SEC in tackles for the second-consecutive season with 143.

He ranked fifth in the nation in tackles with an 11.92 per game and led the nation's linebackers in interceptions and fumbles forced.

The senior finished the season with 11.5 tackles for loss, three quarterback sacks, four interceptions, five pass breakups, two quarterback hurries and five fumbles forced. This is the second straight year Trevathan has earned the first-team All-SEC honor.

Trevathan ended his UK career ranked 10th all-time on Kentucky's tackle list with 374. He had double-figure tackles 20 games, including a career-high 17 tackles in 2010 against Auburn, the eventual national champion. He also hit that mark against Mississippi State, Mississippi and Georgia.

Guy was just behind his teammate in tackles, ranking second in the SEC with 120 stops.

The native of Lexington was tied for 22nd in the nation in tackles, averaging 10 per game.

Guy had eight games of double-figure tackles this season, including a high of 14 at South Carolina and against Tennessee.

The senior was named National Defensive Back of the Week for the Western Kentucky game when he had 10 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. This is Guy's first All-SEC selection by the AP, although he also was a second-team pick last year by Collegefootballnews.com.

Guy finished his career at Kentucky with 297 tackles after recording back-to-back seasons of 100 or more.

Warford, from Richmond, allowed only one quarterback sack during the season.

He was named third-team Mid-Season All-America by Phil Steele's College Football and led the Wildcats in knockdown blocks with 34. The junior was also second-team All-SEC last season.

LSU and Alabama led the league in first-team selections with five apiece. The Tigers had just one on offense, senior lineman Will Blackwell.